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2024 La Crosse Loggers Baseball There ’ s No Place Like Copeland
Northwoods League History
1994 In 1994 a new baseball league was born , the Northwoods League , which began with franchises in Kenosha , Wausau and Manitowoc , Wisconsin ; Dubuque , Iowa and Rochester , Minnesota . This League was made up of “ All-Star ” teams of college players and competed in a 56 game schedule between June and August . Each franchise was to promote their games just like a professional franchise would . Fans could look forward to nightly giveaways , concessions , fireworks and many exciting game events . At the end of the first season approximately 70,000 fans attended Northwoods League games and the Rochester Honkers had claimed the first League title with a 31-15 overall record .
1995 In 1995 the league would grow to six franchises when Waterloo , Iowa added the Waterloo Bucks . 1995 also saw the League ’ s first All-Star game . On Saturday , July , 22nd the Wausau Woodchucks hosted the first ever Northwoods League All-Star game . This All-Star game would feature the very best of the NWL . Along with the first All-Star game the NWL would have it ’ s first Championship series . The teams with the best records of the first and second half of the season would meet in a Championship series . Eventually the Kenosha Kroakers would claim the 1995 title downing the Manitowoc Skunks two games to none and finishing with an overall record of 40-18 .
1996 The 1996 season started on June 7th with the same six teams comprising the league . This season the second year franchise from Waterloo would host the 2nd Annual NWL All-Star game at Riverfront Stadium in Waterloo , IA . The Waterloo Bucks had earned the right to host the event by setting a single season attendance record in 1995 when 28,745 fans went through the gates in Waterloo . By the end of the season and Championship series the 2nd year franchise , Waterloo Bucks had claimed their first NWL crown having defeated the Rochester Honkers 2 games to none .
1997 1997 brought change in the NWL . One of the founding franchises , the Dubuque Mud Puppies , would relocate to St . Cloud , MN and be called the St . Cloud River Bats . Besides the location change the league would expand it ’ s schedule to play 64 games in 68 days . Since its inception the league now had 45 alumni playing or signed to play professional baseball . 1997 would be the first time in league history that a franchise would win a second NWL league title , when the Rochester Honkers would defeat the Waterloo Bucks 2 games to one . The Honkers would finish with a 41-21 record . The League would continue to draw more fans , drawing over 135,000 fans over the course of the two and half month season .
1998 In 1998 the league would celebrate it ’ s five year anniversary and welcome three new teams into the league and move to a two division system . With three new teams entering the league one founding member would close it ’ s doors , the Manitowoc Skunks . All three teams joining the NWL would be former members of the now defunct Prairie League , Austin , Brainerd , MN and Grand Forks , ND . The five year old league had now grown to eight teams covering four states ( Iowa , Wisconsin , Minnesota and North Dakota ) This season the NWL would introduce a divisional playoff scenario , having a first and second half winner meet in a playoff . The winners in each division series would meet in the NWL championship series . Another positive note for the league was that all of the eight teams would be playing in ballparks where former professional baseball had once been played . In 1998 the second year franchise , St . Cloud Rivers Bats would take the NWL crown when they defeated the Rochester Honkers 2 games to none .
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